LONDON, Dec 9 (Reuters) - British retail sales fell at their sharpest annual pace in more than three years in November, a survey showed on Tuesday in a grim portent of the all-important Christmas shopping season.
The British Retail Consortium said like-for-like sales fell 2.6 percent on the year last month -- the sharpest fall since April 2005 when the results were depressed by the timing of Easter.
Excluding that, sales had not fallen by so much since the BRC survey began in January 1995. November also marked the first time that sales had fallen in annual terms for two months running.
Total sales, which include new floorspace, fell 0.4 percent on the year in November -- also the sharpest fall since April 2005.
"Retailers will be hoping that customers have been putting off Christmas shopping -- not cancelling it," said Stephen Robertson, BRC director general.
All sectors apart from food and drink recorded falls despite extensive heavy discounting, the BRC said.
It was also possible that sales had been lowered by consumers waiting for the cut in value added tax from 17.5 percent to 15 percent to come into effect. (Reporting by Sumeet Desai; Editing by Ruth Pitchford)